Growing Grass In Clay Shade

Be sure to research before planting and check the sun availability in your clay soil locations.
Growing grass in clay shade. Kentucky bluegrass which you can t grow in shade should be no lower than 3 inches. Usually this is a mower s highest setting. If you want to try some part shade or full shade plants in clay soil the following plants may offer the best performance. Ask your agricultural extension office for help if you need it.
Here is a list of grasses that grow well in clay. Clay soil is a very minor issue when it comes to grass because that area has two things going against growing grass shade and tree root competition. You re improving your soil but it s still clay. First determine what type or grass your lawn is made of.
Gardeners can start adapting cultural practices to fit grasses for clay and shade by mowing high to promote better root development. Most grass seed will grow in various soil types. Clay soil is made up of tons of small particles that stick together clinging to moisture. Americans love their lawns follow some basic steps to make grass grow in red clay soil and establish a lawn that is the envy of the neighborhood.
You can grow a pretty swath of lawn in a shady spot as long as you pick the right grass and take care of it properly. It ll have to be either the tree or the grass but it s not likely you ll be able to have both. However clay soil is perhaps the most difficult to work with. Pick varieties of grass seed carefully some tolerate more shade than others and some are tough to make suitable for high traffic areas.
Fescues and all the other grass types should be mowed back to 4 inches. That s because it is extremely heavy and thick. You don t want to mix two types of grass but you want to make sure your lawn is tolerant of clay soil. Plant warm season grasses as plugs from.
There are very few air pockets under the soil surface and grass. Shade tolerant grass require careful management as they are often weaker and thinner if planted in the shade. Clay tolerant shade plants. A cool season grass it does well when planted in either full sun or partial shade.
Tall fescue festuca arundinacea grows best in clay soil. Most turf grasses need at least four hours of direct sun to survive but specialized shade tolerant grass blends thrive in four hours of dappled sun or partial shade. Grass grown in the shade needs to be longer simply so it can photosynthesize.